Corn-harvester.



Patented Apr. 18, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.'

aumenten @XM h1 uso-zo A. E. COMES.

GORN HARVESTER.

APPLIUATIQN FILED Nov. 27, 190s.

917,846.' Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

@L91 tu @aufm dirci/wma A. E. oom's.

' CORN HAREN-ESTER APPLIOATIONFILBD'NOV. 27, 1908.

91? 984@ Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

3 SHEETS-*SHEET 3.

4f 54 (9 2J Z5 55 @Maw/1% UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

ALMON E. COMBS, OF JOHNSON, KANSAS.

CORN-HARvEsTER.

Patented April 13, 1909.

To all whom 'it may concern: Be it known that I, ALMON E. COMES, acitizen of the United States, residing at Johnson, in the county ofStanton and State of Kansas, have invented a new and usefulCorn-Harvester, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of corn harvesting machines inwhich the cutting apparatus is a pair of rota cutters, between which thestalks are received, and whereby they are cut 0E as the machine isdriven ,across the field.

The object of the present invention is to increase the capacity of themachine, it being constructed so as to operate on two rowssimultaneously. Means are also ro'videdfor adjusting the machineaccording to the width of the rows.

A further object of the invention is to provide a'carrier for the cutstalks, together with improved means for conveying the stalks thereto,and means for dumping the stalks when a suiiicient quantity hasaccumulated on the carrier.

The invention alsol has for its object to rovide means whereby thestalks are pile on the carrier with their butt ends presented in onedirection, in order that they may be tied into shocks without stoppingto assort the same.

Another object of the invention is to pro' vide a machine of this kindin which the parts are few and simple, and which can be operated by oneattendant, it requiring no attention other than driving it across thefield, and periodically dumping the stalks. The latter can be donewithout stopping the machine, a hand lever for this purpose beingprovided, whiich lils located adj acengto the drivrs seat.

n t e accompanying rawingszigure 1 is a top plan view of the machine:Fig. 2 is a side elevation: Fig. 3 is a front end view: Fig. 4 is a rearend view, partly broken away.

The supporting frame of the machine comprises a pair of platforms, 5 and6, respectively, w ich are mounted at their rear ends en wheels 7, theaxle of which is indicated at 8. Each latform carries a cuttingapparatus', to be ereinafter described, in order that the machine may oerate on two rows simultaneously. The p atforms are connected at theirinner ends by cross bars 9,bolted there'- to, the cross bars beingprovided with a series of bolt holes 10, in order that the platforms mayset closer together, or spread apart, and thus adjusted to the width ofthe row. This adjustment is necessary for the reason that listed andplanted corn rows differ in width. f

The draft animals are hitched toa chain 11, which extends transverselybeneath the platforms and passes, at the outer ends thereof, overpulleys 12, from which. it extends forwardly, as shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings. The front end of the machine is su ported cross bars 9.

At the front end of each platform are the usual flared guides-14 fordirecting the stalks to the cutting apparatus, which, together withtheoperating mechanism thereof, is the same on both platforms.

The cutting mechanism comprises a pair of rotary disks 15 and 16respectively, placed edgewise with respect to each other and having aperipheral cutting edge. These disks are locate at the front ends of theplatforms tween, said stalks being guided to the disks by the mounte onan u right shaft 17, which is supported in suita le bearings on theplatforms. 8 by a sprocket chain 18 assing over a s rocket wheel 20 onan u right counter s aft 21 mounted on the plat orm at the rear endthereof. .On 'the counter shaft 2l is a spur gear 22, which meshes witha similar gear 23 on a second counter shaft 24. On this last mentioned'counter shaft is a s `rocket wheel 25, which is connectedby a c ain 26with a sprocket wheel 27 on the 'shaft 28 of the cutting disk 16. Thechains 18 and 26 travel in different vertical. planes, the sprocketsover which they pass being ositioned on their shafts accordingly. he puose of this arrangement will be descri ed hereinafter.

Motion is imparted to the chains from the axle 8 by means of a bevelgear 29 thereon, which meshes with a similar gear 30 on thecounter-shaft 21 both ,chains being driven from the aXle by reason ofthe gearing bctween the counter-shafts 21 and 24. At the upper ends ofthe shafts 17 and 28, and rotating therewith, are the usual reels 29,for

against the cutting apparatus. The shaft 2S is also tted with asprocketdwheel 3G", which by a caster wheel 13, mounted on t e front'and sever the stalks as they enter therebe ides 14. The cutting disk 15is- The shaft 17 is driven from the axle sprocket wheel 19 onthe `s aft17, and a;

gathering the stalks and throwing them I is connected, by a chain 31, toa sprocket 32 34 to take hold of the stalks for this purpose.

As already stated, one of the objects of the invention is to deliver thecut stalks to the rear endof the platform with their butt ends allpresented in one direction. This is done by tilting the stalkssidewisein transit to the rear end of the platform. The stalks are tilted asstated by locating the chains in different vertical planes, anddiverging them in the direction of the rear end of the latform. Thechains 18 and 26 are so locate as to receive the butt ends of the cutstalks, and the chain 31 is in a higher vertical plane, so as 'to engagethe heads of the cut stalks. The butt ends of the stalks are receivedbetween the chains 18 and 26, they being set sufficiently close togetherfor this purpose, and thechains travel in a direction to carry the buttends of the stalksv rearwardly.A Adjacent to the chain 31 is a guardrail 34l which slants in the direction of the rear end of the platform,and between the guard rail and said chain the heads of the stalks arereceived and car` ried rearwardly. By diverging the chains 18 and 26,and 31 in the direction of the rear end of the platform, it will be seenthat the stalks, in transit thereto, are gradually tilted over to oneside, and thus thrown on the carrier, to be presently described,cross-wise with respect to the machine, and with their utts-all resentedin one direction against a ividing oard 35 on the carrier. The chains 18and 26v are also positioned in different vertical planes, the chain 26beingthe highest, which prevents the stalks from being held between saidchains, so that they bend when they are tilted by the chain 31, and theytherefore tilt more readily. The cutting apparatus, and the stalkconveyers ofthe respective platforms 5 'and 6, are so arranged, that thecut stalks are delivered to the carrier in two piles,

the stalks severed by the cutting apparatus of the platform 5 beingdelivered to the carrier on one side of the dividing board 35, and thestalks severed by the 'cutting apparatus on the latform 6 beingdelivered to the carrier on tfie other side of the dividing board 35,with the butt ends of the piles 'of stalks facing each other.

The carrier comprises a downwardly sloping platform 36, located at therear end of each platform 5 and 6. The platform I36 is supported on arms37 projecting from the rear ends of said platforms 5 and 6. At the lowerends of the platforms 36 are rearwardly tilting stalk-holding arms 38,which are pivoted at 39 to the arms 37. These arms are operated by meansof a handlever 40 pivoted at 41, on'a bracket mounted on one of thecross bars 9, and connected by av scribed, so that when said rock-shaftis operated by the hand lever 40, all the arms will be tilted. 0n thecross bar 9 on which the supporting bracket of the hand lever 40 ismounted, is also mounted the drivers seat 47, Which enables him to ocrate said hand lever to dum the load wit out leaving the seat, the hanlever being located so as to be within easy reach. When the arms 38 arein position to hold the stalks on the platforms, they are upright, asshown in Fig. 2. To dump the stalks from the platforms, the hand lever40 is swung forwardly, which, b reason of lits connection with therock-shaft 44, and the connection between said rockshaft and the arms38, tilts the latter rearwardly, whereupon the stalks roll down theplatforms on to the ground, by reason of the inclination of theplatforms.

It will be seen, from the foregoing, that I have provided a cornharvester which is simple in construction and has no complicated partsto get out of order. By lining up the stalks, as stated, they can be atonce tied into shocks without stopping to assort the same. Only oneattendant is required to operate the machine, as it requires noattention other than guiding'the draft animals, and periodically dumpingthe stalks.

`The gears 22 and 23 are )rovided with a cover 48, to prevent the stal sfrom catching therein. The reels, and the sprocket wheels of theconveying mechanism are preferably mounted on their shafts in such amanner that they may be adjusted up and down thereon, according to theheight of the stalks.

While I have shown the preferred form of mechanism for carrying out theinventive idea, it will be understood that various changes andmodifications may be made Without departing therefrom, and I do not wishto be limited except as indicated in the following claims.

What is claimed is 1. In a stalk-cutter, a stalk-holder receiving thecut stalks, and endless convey'ers between Whioh said stalks arereceived, for conveyers the same' to the holder, said conveyers lying indifferent vertical planes, and diierging in the direction of the holder.ing the cut stalks, a pair of lower endless ccnn a stalk-cutter, astalk-holder receiv-l cut stalks, endless conveyers between which thesaid stalks are received for conveying the same to the holder, saidconveyers lying in 10 different vertical planes, and diverging in thedirection of the carrier, and a guard rail extending adjacent to theupper conveyer.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiixedmy signature in the'presence of two witnesses.

ALMoN E. coMBs.

Witnesses:

.B. FRANKLIN FINN, J. B. REYNOLDS.

